Guerrero Homers off Shohei Ohtani as Toronto Defeat Dodgers to Level Series at 2-2
Only 24 hours after staggering through one of the most draining defeats in World Series history, the Toronto Blue Jays played with complete command.
Guerrero crushed a two-run home run and Bieber delivered a composed outing as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium, squaring the World Series at two wins apiece and ensuring the matchup will head back to Toronto.
Toronto had passed the morning of Tuesday processing their 18-inning Game 3 loss – tied for the lengthiest World Series contest ever – a loss that cost them the opportunity to lead the matchup and burned through both relief corps. Manager Schneider stated afterwards that “they took a game, not the World Series”. A day later, his squad provided convincing proof.
Early Innings
The Los Angeles again struck first. Muncy drew a walk in the second inning, advanced on a single and crossed the plate on Kiké Hernández's sacrifice fly. But the early score did not rattle a Toronto club that led MLB with 49 comeback victories this season.
They answered immediately in the third. Lukes lined a one away single to centre and Guerrero stepped in hunting a breaking ball. Shohei Ohtani left a sweeper up and Guerrero sent it screaming over the left-center wall. It was his first long hit of the World Series and his seventh home run this postseason – a new club mark – restoring the Toronto's advantage after 13 scoreless frames and shifting the tone of the game.
Ohtani's Night
That hit also ended Ohtani's history-making streak of 11 consecutive plate appearances getting on base. The dual-threat star had smashed two homers and reached safely a record nine times in the Dodgers' third game comeback win. But on that night, he took the mound on short rest – his briefest ever – after needing an IV to recuperate from the prior extra-inning game.
Ohtani pitch speed was below his regular-season norm and he struggled more as the game wore on. Nonetheless, he displayed flashes of his usual control, retiring 11 of 12 after Guerrero's homer and striking out six. He even walked in the first to continue his World Series record. But the Toronto made him work: six base hits and four runs were credited to him in six-plus frames.
Seventh Inning Surge
The bigger problem for the Dodgers was what came next when Ohtani eventually ran out of steam.
Daulton Varsho started the seventh inning with a clean hit to right, and Clement drilled a double off the wall to put runners on with none out. Dave Roberts had little choice but to remove Ohtani, who exited to a standing ovation from the home crowd. The Los Angeles' relief corps could not finish the escape.
Anthony Banda came into the mess and right away fell behind. Andrés Giménez battled to a full count before scoring Varsho with a single to left field. France followed with a groundout to make it 4-1, and that was enough to knock the pitcher out of the game. Blake Treinen came in next but also was unable to stop the rally: Bo Bichette and Addison Barger hit RBI base hits through the diamond, capping a four-run outburst that extended the lead to 6-1.
Blue Jays's Toughness
The Toronto's capacity to absorb early blows and answer has defined their entire run. They once again succeeded without Springer, the hurt leadoff man who left Game 3 after straining his right side.
Bieber, meanwhile, was everything Toronto required. Acquired mid-season while finishing rehab from elbow surgery, the ex- Cy Young winner left multiple runners and quieted the Los Angeles' dangerous batting order. He allowed one run on four hits and three walks before the manager summoned first-year pitcher Mason Fluharty to face the heart of the lineup in the sixth inning. He needed just 4 throws to get out Muncy and Edman, protecting a fragile advantage that soon grew comfortable.
Former starting pitcher Chris Bassitt then pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth as the Dodgers' bats continued to sputter. The Dodgers have produced only three scores over their previous 20 innings, an sudden slowdown for a team that ranked among MLB's top lineups all season.
Closing Moments
The Dodgers managed a run in the ninth when Tommy Edman grounded out to bring home Hernández after a walk and Muncy's double put two on base. But Varland closed it down without permitting a comeback to build.
Following a night when Toronto stranded a World Series-record 19 runners and fell apart after wave upon wave of missed chances, Game 4 was ruthlessly efficient. 6 separate Toronto players collected base hits, 5 brought home scores and the squad converted almost every scoring chance available in the late stanzas.
Looking Ahead
The win ensures the World Series title will be presented at their home stadium, where the Toronto have not celebrated a title since Carter's iconic walk-off home run in '93. They now know they are guaranteed a full house in Toronto on Friday night – and perhaps Saturday – no matter what occurs next in Los Angeles.
The fifth game approaches with the series even and energy shifting to Toronto. Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (3-1, 2.42 ERA) will try to arrest the Blue Jays's surge. Toronto respond with rookie Yesavage (2-1, 4.26 ERA) in a rematch of the opener, when the Toronto knocked out Snell quickly in an decisive victory.
